2025 was a year for the indies. From breakout hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince, to long-awaited sequels like Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, small teams frequently outperformed established studios, as the wider industry lurched from massive strikes to landmark labor deals to deep layoffs .

Despite the tumult, major companies still notched some significant wins. Nintendo finally released the Switch 2 console and blockbuster exclusives like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. PlayStation published acclaimed cinematic epics like Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yōtei . Microsoft, which faced fan wrath over cancellations and price hikes, still brought an unprecedented number of new titles to their Game Pass subscription service.

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